Booher: Moats' call on MSU football makes no sense

Nov. 18, 2013

A dejected Terry Allen, Bears head coach, walks off the field after a loss to Northern Iowa

Written by

Kary

BOOHER

Missouri State athletic director Kyle Moats cannot possibly believe that retaining embattled coach Terry Allen — with no extension beyond next season — is good for Bears football.

Welcome to lame-duck status, Coach, and good luck on the recruiting trail finding a guinea pig, er, quarterback to come save the program yet again.

Clearly, Moats’ decision Sunday to retain Allen and without an extension — despite the Bears never sniffing a playoff berth in eight seasons — does nothing to bolster recruiting for a program badly in need of it.

And it does nothing to build public support, especially with $10 million in stadium renovations about to get underway and the community not interested in MSU football.

This is the definition of insanity — doing something over and over again and expecting a different result. MSU president Clif Smart, who badly wants football as part of the vision for the university and a quality campus life, signed off on this plan?

This year marked Allen’s sixth losing season, fourth consecutive. It was time to move on. Bears football needs new blood, a coach with fresh vision and sharper recruiting skills.

It doesn’t need another year of Allen, er, the program left twisting in the wind.

The stunning part about this is that Moats put himself on the hot seat here in withholding an extension. If Bears football tanks, he’s responsible, too. And he should be on the hot seat now anyway.

Hired supposedly because he’s a whiz at raising money, Moats is now in his fourth year as athletic director. Yet MSU didn’t have the money — or apparently the connections (boosters) — that could have bought out the final year of Allen’s contract.

Sure, not spending $300,000-plus to handle the buyouts as well as the new coaching contracts would seem like a prudent decision.

Playing defense, Moats took to Twitter on Sunday and wrote, “Just to clarify, as reports aren’t completely accurate. It’s my fiduciary responsibility to recommend what’s best for the athletic department.”

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OK, so why wasn’t this mentioned before Moats and Smart called 2013 a sink-or-swim year for Allen? Seems they should have leveled with everybody about the finances, that it might be difficult for a buyout.

Had Allen finished 2-9, would he still be around?

But let’s talk more about fiduciary responsibility.

Eight months ago, Lady Bears coach Nyla Milleson got canned for never reaching the NCAA Tournament in seven seasons — despite an overall record of 105-87 — and for a $400,000 decline in season-ticket revenue. The university paid her $140,000 to go away.

Yet Allen gets retained after a 33-56 record in eight years and the football program is still a boondoggle, a $2.3-million expense this year alone with no playoff berth or true playoff hunt in November.

Don’t forget, either, that present and future Missouri State students have a fiduciary responsibility, whether they like it or not, after fewer than 3,000 students voted in favor of a $50-per-semester fee.

That’s the fee that goes toward $20 million in sports stadium upgrades. It also takes their overall fees per year — for two semesters — to almost $900 alone. Their investment for a strong football program will have to wait.

Look, if Moats badly wants Allen as his coach, fine. He should say that and tell all detractors to deal with it.

But don’t withhold a two-year extension until after next season. It could badly damage the program.

Allen now must hit the recruiting trail and yet cannot promise anyone that he’ll be around after next season.

Recruits, the good ones and necessary ones, can easily turn their backs on Allen. Thus, it creates the worrisome scenario, should next fall be yet another dud, of the cupboard being absolutely bare if Allen falls again.

You know, Missouri State can talk all it wants about its 2014 senior class, but let’s not kid ourselves. The Bears lack a leadership-solid quarterback to compete at the Football Championship Subdivision level.

Allen has to find that guy, a transfer with skills, not a true freshman, and one who is willing to put the weight of the world on his shoulders. But is that guy out there? In this environment with no extension?

It’s also fair to question how Allen will manage his coaching next season.

Think about it. Because Allen knows this is a one-shot deal, how does he shepherd a new QB through the season?

Keep in mind, in September 2012, Allen publicly ripped transfer QB Ashton Glaser after a loss and didn’t take responsibility for his own poor playing calling.

Overall, Sunday didn’t make a lot of sense. And looking ahead, it has disaster written all over it.